Applications
ESPN Star Sports selects GlobeCast for fibre link connectivity
MUMBAI: GlobeCast has announced that ESPN Star Sports (ESS) has become the first client for its new fibre connectivity from GlobeCast’s Parkview Square facility in Singapore to Astro in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
GlobeCast’s new fibre link connects to Astro’s two diverse locations –Astro’s All Asia Broadcast Center (AABC) and Cyberjaya Broadcast Center (CBC).
For ESS, GlobeCast is providing delivery of SD and HD channels in compressed ASI format via the new fibre, delivering world-class sports from Asia’s biggest sports content provider to Astro’s Pay-TV platform.
This circuit will also be available for occasional use for the delivery of live sports and special events coverage to and from ESS and Astro, the company said.
GlobeCast currently offers extensive fibre connectivity in Asia, including access to its global fiber network, the GlobeCast Backbone Network (GCBN), which offers 33 points of presence. In Asia, GlobeCast offers broadcasters connectivity to operators such as nowTV in Hong Kong, SingTel in Singapore and Shanghai Media Group in China.
GlobeCast’s facility in Singapore hosts an SD and a HD-ready playout and programme origination facility. GlobeCast also runs a 24/7 MCR in Singapore as well as a 24/7 MCR and teleport in Hong Kong.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
